Automatic target



J. W. SHEFFIELD AUTOMATIC TARGET Filed Nov. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor llorney March 24-, J. w HE ELD AUTOMATIC TARGET Filed Nov. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in targets for use on rifle ranges, the principal object being to provide a target which will be substantially automatic in opera- 5 tion, requiring no manual changing thereof, to

the end that hazards incident to such employment will be eliminated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an automatic target wherein an 10 off bulls eye shot will cause the target to change over to a fresh one.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

15 In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of the target.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary plan view of the target strip.

20 Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the target.

Figure 4 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the target taken substantially about midway between the upper and lower 25 ends thereof.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the target strip.

30 Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the target consists of a casing made up of the back wall 5, the front wall 6 having the target strip. exposing openings I therein, as well as the 35 lower box construction 8 upon which the casing is located and the top wall 9 forwardly from which extends the hood I in which is located a suitable lamp H for illuminating the target strip I2. This target strip 12 is provided with a plu- 40 rality of longitudinally spaced markings [3 thereon defining targets. This strip is wound from the upper roll 14 to the lower roll [5, the lower roll being provided with a pair of pulleys at one end thereof, over one of which is trained the 45 motor belt I6 and Whilebetween the other pulley and a pulley on the roll l4 another belt is provided and denoted by numeral ll. Mounted within the box 8 is the electric motor l8 having the pulley E9 on its armature shaft with which the belt I 6 coacts for actuating the roll l5.

Behind the target I2 is the plate 20 having the central opening 2| therein and behind this opening 2! and supported by a bracket 22 on the back wall is the bell 23.

The corners of the plate 20 are apertured to receive the pins 24 and on these pins are coiled compressible springs 25 for normally urging the plate 20 forwardly to the position substantially shown in Figure 3.

A switch structure is shown in Figure 5 consisting of the knife blade 26 rockably supported as at 21 on the back wall 5. Numeral 28 represents a contact with which the blade 26 is engageable and numeral 29 represents an arm extending from the blade 26 at its contacting end and this is provided with a lateral finger 30 for disposition just behind the plate 20 but normally in close spaced relation with respect thereto, so that when a bullet hits the plate the plate will actuate the blade 26 so as to close a circuit with the motor l8 so that the target strip will be moved. When bulls eye shots are made the bell 20 23 simply rings and there is no actuation of the target strip l2.

To stop the motor [8, lugs 3| are provided at equal spaced intervals along one edge of the target strip l2 and these move in the path of one end of the bell crank 32 which is connected by link 33 to the opposite end of the switch blade 26. Thus, when a fresh target is brought into position in front of the plate 20 the lug 3| adjacent the bell crank 32 will ride against the bell crank and result in the rocking of the knife blade 25 so as to break the electrical circuit with the motor l8.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood 35 that numerous changes in the shape, size, materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new 1s:

A target of the character described comprising a casing having an opening in the front thereof, a yieldably mounted plate in the casing having a central opening, a bell mounted in the casing behind the opening in the plate, a movable target strip disposed across the said plate, a motor for actuating the said target strip, switch means associated with the plate for starting the motor, and means on the target strip engageable with the said switch for de-energizing the said motor.

JOHN W. SHEFFIELD. 

